Sts Raphael, Nicholas and
Irene of Lesvos

Memory celebrated on the first Tuesday after Easter
Sunday

Apolytikon

Having contended on Lesvos for the sake of Christ God,
you have sanctified the island since the discovery of your
sacred relics, O blessed ones; for what reason we honour
you, O God-bearing Raphael, together with Nicholas and
virgin Irene, as our divine protectors and intercessors with
the Lord.

Kontakion

Let all of us honour as our protectors and
miracle-workers the holy Martyrs who manifestly contended
for Christ. Whose relics were hidden under the earth for
many years, and who have manifested themselves to us in
wondrous ways, Raphael, Nicholas and Irene, as well as those
who contended with them in a godly-minded manner.

Megalynarion

Let us honour with hymns the Hosiomartyrs of Christ,
divine Raphael and venerable Nicholas, together with Irene,
the guardians of Lesvos, for helping all.

The first and most important lesson for
unbelievers is that God,
Whom we venerate and worship,
"... is not the God of the dead, but of the living" (Matthew
22:32)

Sts Raphael, Nicholas and Irene suffered martyrdom by the
Turks on the island of Lesvos (also called Mytilene) on
April 9 1463 AD, after the fall of Constantinople. St
Raphael was the Abbot of Karyes near the village of Thermi
on the island. St Nicholas was a Deacon at the monastery,
and St Irene was the 12-year-old daughter of the major of
Thermi. The three saints were at the monastery with the
village teacher and St Irenes father when the Turks
raided it.

These saints were unknown for about 500 years after their
martyrdoms during the Turkish occupation of Lesvos. In 1959
the three saints appeared to the people on Lesvos in dreams
and visions. They guided excavations of their own graves,
called people to repentance, and cured many kinds of
diseases.

The saints revealed how they were cruelly tortured at the
monastery, calling it a "second Golgotha" (in the words of
St Raphael). St Raphaels torture ended when his head
was sawn off. St Nicholas died of heart failure when he was
being tortured. St Irene was tortured in front of her father
and burnt alive in a clay cask, where her charred bones were
later found. The teachers head was cut off and placed
between his legs when he was buried. A great deal of blood
was shed at the monastery; the saints were martyred for the
sake of their Christian faith and Fatherland.

Found amongst these excavation was St Raphaels
round metallic Enkopion with a low relief of Christ
Pantocrator on it. Orthodox Bishops wear Enkopions
externally on the breast.

Details of the lives of these saints, and miraculous
cures and visions can be found in a book by Constantine
Cavarnos titled "Saints Raphael, Nicholas and Irene of
Lesvos", Modern Orthodox Saints, vol 10. Published in 1994
(second printing) by the Institute for Byzantine and Modern
Greek Studies, 111 Gilbert Road Belmont, Massachusetts 02178
USA.(currently out of print)